Attachment Disorganization and Its Relevance to Sexual Offending

Maternal depression and infant attachment security: A meta‐analysis

“…Links have also been found between nonsecure attachment and adolesent depression (Brumariu & Kerns, ). This risk factor does extend further into the life span, with nonsecure attachment orientations being linked to poor peer relationships (Groh et al., ), criminal behaviors (Ogilvie, Newman, Todd, & Peck, ), sexual offending (Baker, Beech, & Tyson, ), and increased suicidal ideation (Armsden, McCauley, Greenberg, Burke, & Mitchell, ).…”

Multiple‐Family Group Intervention for Incarcerated Male Adolescents Who Sexually Offend and Their Families: Change in Maladaptive Emotion Regulation Predicts Adaptive Change in Adolescent Behaviors

“…Affect regulation and the attachment relationship in which it is constructed are hypothesized to be the major mechanisms through which parent psychopathology and ineffective parenting influence children in the development of problem behaviors such as externalizing (Fearon, Bakermans-Kranenburg, van IJzendoorn, Lapsley, & Roisman, 2010), internalizing (Brumariu & Kerns, 2010) behaviors, psychopathology in general (Kim & Cicchetti, 2010), and sexual offending (Baker et al, 2006;Cassidy, 2008). In addition, other psychopathology within the family such as early sexual abuse and exposure to aggression also result in insecure or disorganized attachment with the often concomitant development of ineffective interactional patterns for managing arousal (emotional and/or sexual) (Porges, 2003).…”

“…Anxious children become hypervigilant to attachment experiences and heighten distress by showing increased fear or anger. They, too, have difficulty both in interpersonal interactions with peers, often displaying aggressive, fighting, or sexual offending behavior during times of distress (Baker et al, 2006;Cassidy, 2008;Kim & Cicchetti, 2010) and with school and court systems if they develop delinquent behaviors (Kim & Cicchetti, 2010). Infants and children who have been abused or subject to intrusive or fearful caregivers develop no organized attachment strategies; therefore, under stress and high emotional or sexual arousal, they tend to engage sequentially in both fight and flight, often ending up in a frozen stance (Baker et al, 2006;Burk & Burkhart, 2003;Cassidy & Mohr, 2001).…”

“…Unfortunately, incarceration or detention alone (without rehabilitation efforts) has demonstrated a minimal ability to contribute to long‐term behavioral changes for confined adolescents (Sprenkle, ; Todis, Bullis, Waintrup, Schultz, & D'Ambrosio, ; Wolfe & Wittenborn, ). Without effective therapeutic intervention, the coercive interactional patterns of these adolescents and family members do not improve and their conflictual cycles continue with high levels of negative emotion that disrupt family members' attachment bonds (McKillop, Smallbone, Wortley, & Andjic, ), impair cognitive functioning (Baker, Beech, & Tyson, ), and foster chronic parasympathetic nervous system arousal (Porges, ). The result is that adolescents leave institutions disconnected from their families, unable to cope well with conflict or regulate high arousal, whether emotional or sexual, and therefore are less likely to integrate new information and develop alternative solutions to problems.…”

Sex-Role Orientation and Attachment Styles of Sex Offenders

“…The research on sex offenders and attachment styles has shown evidence of insecure attachments (Marshall, 1989;Ward, et al, 1996;Craissati, McClurg, & Browne, 2002;Baker, Beech, & Tyson, 2006;Simons, Wurtele, and durham, 2008). Results from a study completed by craissati, et al (2002) showed that the individuals who molested young female children reported more insecure attachments with their parents.…”